A boost for renewable energy.

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Vietnam is accelerating its energy transition towards greening and sustainable development. The Government's approval of the revised Power Development Plan VIII (according to Decision No. 768/QD-TTg dated April 15, 2025) is a strategic turning point in ensuring national energy security, reducing emissions, and adapting to climate change. With its existing potential and advantages, Thanh Hoa province is being supplemented with a series of large-scale projects, opening up opportunities to develop renewable energy, enhance electricity supply capacity, and attract investment in green industries.

The Battery Storage and Storage System (BESS) rooftop solar power system at Nghi Son 2 Thermal Power Company Limited (Nghi Son Economic Zone).

Renewable energy - a strategic priority in national power planning.

According to the revised Power Development Plan VIII, the central objective is to ensure sufficient electricity for socio-economic development, with an average GDP growth rate of 10% per year during the 2026-2030 period and approximately 7.5% per year during the 2031-2050 period. Peak power capacity is projected to reach approximately 89,655-99,934 MW in 2030 and increase to 205,732-228,570 MW by 2050. The plan also requires ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply, meeting the N-1 criterion for important load areas and N-2 for particularly important load areas, including nuclear power sources. The goal by 2030 is for electricity supply reliability to be among the top 4 in ASEAN and for the electricity access index to be among the top 3 in the region.

The highlight of the plan is the strong promotion of renewable energy, gradually reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Vietnam will prioritize the development of wind power (onshore, nearshore, offshore), solar power (ground-mounted, floating), biomass power, etc., in accordance with the system's absorption capacity and the grid's capacity to handle the load. By 2030, the total onshore and nearshore wind power capacity is expected to reach 26,066 - 38,029 MW. Offshore wind power capacity to serve domestic needs will reach 6,000 - 17,032 MW and could increase to 113,000 - 139,000 MW by 2050. Wind power for the production of new energy sources such as hydrogen and green ammonia is expected to reach 15,000 MW by 2035 and approximately 240,000 MW by 2050.

With a solar power potential of approximately 963,000 MW, the total capacity of solar power sources is projected to reach 46,459 - 73,416 MW by 2030; and nearly 295,000 MW by 2050. Optimizing this potential will play a crucial role in the energy transition and in realizing the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

A new growth pole for "clean" energy.

The revised Power Development Plan VIII adds several power sources to Thanh Hoa province , especially renewable energy sources such as: 373MW of rooftop solar power in the 2025-2030 period and an additional 68MW in the 2031-2035 period; 440MW of concentrated solar power in the 2025-2030 period and an additional 164MW in the 2031-2035 period; and 364MW of onshore and nearshore wind power in the 2025-2030 period. The Nghi Son LNG Thermal Power Plant project with a capacity of 1,500MW and the Cong Thanh LNG Thermal Power Plant project with a capacity of 1,500MW are also included in the list and projected progress of nationally important power source projects and priority projects of the sector. In addition, dozens of 220-500kV substations and transmission lines will be built and upgraded simultaneously, ensuring the capacity to handle power demand in the coming period.

The transmission infrastructure system in Thanh Hoa is being continuously invested in and upgraded to meet the future demand for power evacuation.

According to statistics from the Department of Industry and Trade, the province currently has 619 rooftop solar power systems with a total capacity of over 57MW, 1 solar power plant, and 5 waste heat recovery power generation systems with a capacity of 99.2MW. These solar power systems have helped reduce the load on 0.4-35kV power lines by 0.5-2.1%, contributing to easing pressure on 110kV substations. Many businesses in the area have pioneered investment in green energy to proactively produce electricity and meet emission reduction criteria.

carbon. For example, Nghi Son 2 Thermal Power Company Limited (NS2PC) recently put into operation the first rooftop solar power system with battery storage (BESS) in Thanh Hoa. The system has a capacity of 518kWp and 1,152kWh of battery storage, optimizing electricity consumption, reducing dependence on the grid, and decreasing CO2 emissions.

Chung Kook Choi, Chairman and CEO of NS2PC, said: “This project is not only an investment in renewable energy but also demonstrates the company’s strong commitment to sustainable development and carbon neutrality.”

In addition, many textile and seafood businesses have installed solar power to meet green standards in exports. Rooftop solar power models implemented in agricultural cooperatives, wood processing factories, logistics areas, etc., are proving effective in terms of energy savings and environmental benefits.

However, the proportion of renewable energy in Thanh Hoa province remains limited. Of the total power generation capacity of approximately 2,400 MW, clean energy sources only account for about 1.3%, with just one 30 MW solar power plant. The province has about 600 rooftop solar power systems with a total capacity of nearly 60 MW, but most have not integrated storage systems, leading to wasted potential.

Currently, Thanh Hoa province is focusing on selecting investors for key projects such as the Nghi Son LNG power plant (1,500MW), the Bac Phuong - Nghi Son wind power plant (100MW), and the Muong Lat wind power plant (200MW)... Representatives from the Department of Industry and Trade stated that they are advising the Provincial People's Committee to expedite the updating of planning, allocate clean land, remove procedural obstacles and improve connection infrastructure, and strongly mobilize high-quality resources into the renewable energy sector, with the expectation of soon making Thanh Hoa a "green" energy center of Central Vietnam and the whole country.

Text and photos: Minh Hang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/cu-hich-cho-nang-luong-tai-tao-253233.htm